Elpida, Qimonda sign DRAM JV

Elpida Memory Inc. and Qimonda AG have finalized a memorandum of understanding for the joint development of memory chips.

In the planned cooperation, Qimonda will provide its know-how with the innovative buried wordline technology and Elpida its advanced stack capacitor technology. The strategic technology cooperation will leverage the strength of both companies to accelerate their roadmap to DRAM products featuring cell sizes of 4F². The companies plan to introduce the jointly developed innovative 4F² cell concept in the 40nm generation in calendar year 2010 and to subsequently scale it to the 30nm generation.

The companies plan to jointly develop technology platforms and design rules to enable both exchange of products and potential manufacturing joint ventures. Both companies target to align their development activities at their respective sites in Hiroshima and Dresden, including the exchange of engineers. Additionally, the companies also have agreed to explore joint development opportunities in the areas of Through Silicon Via Technology and future memories.

"This strategic cooperation with Elpida is a tremendous endorsement of our innovative buried wordline technology," said Kin Wah Loh, president and CEO of Qimonda AG. "Qimonda will leverage this partnership to significantly accelerate the introduction of small 4F² cell sizes. This technology alignment of two major DRAM innovators creates excellent opportunities for greater economies of scale in R&D and future joint manufacturing activities."

"Our R&D effort has given us the lead in DRAM technology. In the tough, competitive industry that we are in, however, faster and more efficient development of new process technologies is becoming critically important," Yukio Sakamoto, president and CEO of Elpida said.

What is memory?
It is the computer's physical workspace that stores the instructions, programs and data needed to accomplish the tasks executed by the processor for some interval of time, even after electrical power to the computer is turned off.

What is DRAM?
Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is a type of random access memory that stores each bit of data in a separate capacitor within an IC. Since real capacitors leak charge, the information eventually fades unless the capacitor charge is refreshed periodically. Because of this refresh requirement, it is a dynamic memory as opposed to SRAM and other static memory. And unlike non-volatile firmware chips, both DRAM and SRAM lose their content when the power is turned off.